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Saturday, 2 May 2015

Homecoming

Translated from Japanese by Saya

8 years ago, the Golden Week - *1
I had just graduated from university*2, and was working and living alone in Tokyo.

It was my first GW since I began working *3 and I decided to go back to my hometown in Tochigi.*4
I decided to drive, but on my way got caught up in a traffic jam; that totally drained me out and I had to stop and take a break at a rest area.
Because of all that, when I finally arrived home it was already 10 in the evening.

When I arrived I immediately felt a very unpleasant, heavy air surrounding the house.
I'm a sort of person who doesn't believe in ghosts or that sort of thing, and have no psychic power whatsoever, but I could feel that the atmosphere had a certain quality that can best be described as evil.

But, at the time, I simply wrote it off as a silly feeling born out of exhaustion, and walked straight into the house.

My parents were still up and welcomed me home.
For a while we just sat around and chatted away about random things such as my workplace.
They said something like, "you should stay here with us permanently," and at the time I only felt touched thinking they were very concerned about me.

However, the ominous air was still bothering me, and as I was also exhausted from the journey, I decided to go to bed early.

Once in my room I tried my best to fall asleep but couldn't.
I was thinking in my bed - something doesn't feel right.
Something feels odd.

It was already around one after midnight.
The lights in the sitting room were off, and my parents too seemed to have gone to bed.

I began to feel thirsty, so I went to the kitchen and opened the fridge, hoping to find something to drink.

It was then that I noticed a horrible stench.

I wondered what it was and tried to switch on the light but somehow it wasn't working.

I had no choice but use the light from my mobile phone to examine the fridge; and found that all the food inside it was quite rotten.
All the use-by dates showed that everything had already expired nearly five years ago.
I had a bad feeling about it, and went to my parents' bedroom to get some explanation from them, but not only did I find the bedroom empty, but also I could not find any trace of them ever having slept in there either.*5
What was more, the room was extremely dusty, and looked as though no one had used it for many years.

Instinctively I knew I was in danger and that I had to get the hell out of the place asap; so I immediately packed up my luggage and ran to my car.
Just before starting the car, I glanced at the rear-view mirror and spotted my parents standing there.
I quickly drove away.
I have a feeling that they were not really my parents.
And the house too was perhaps....*6

The next thing I knew, I had again arrived at the same rest area that I had stopped by on the way home.
I decided to get some shut-eye.
When I opened my eyes it was already past noon.
I wanted to go back to Tokyo at once, but before that I called home, just to make sure that everything was OK.
My mother answered the phone.
I asked her about yesterday but she said I had never been home.
I wondered if I had been dreaming and fearfully drove back home again. But this time the house evoked no strange feeling in me like before, and the inside of the house was all normal. It was my old home as I had always known it.
I chatted with my parents for a while before returning to Tokyo on the same day.

On the way back to Tokyo, I got a call from home on my mobile.
It appeared to be from my mother, but she sounded strange, and I also sensed the unpleasant, evil air that I felt before.
"....Come back....," she said.
Without knowing what I was doing, I hang up and turned off my mobile.
It was extremely disturbing.

To this day I have no idea whether if I dreamed the whole thing or not.
But since that time I rarely go back home.

-----------------------------------Notes:

*1The Golden Week - a annual vacation period when many public holidays fall in succession, that usually lasts for one week from the late April to the beginning of May (Wiki)

*2graduated from university - In Japan, graduation usually happens in April; which is appropriate, because the spring is the time when cherry blossoms - the symbol of death and rebirth - bloom.

*3since I began working - the original text says "since I became a shakai-jin (社会人)," where shakai-jin menas a "full member of society." Shakai-jin is usually used to describe someone who is a full-time worker.

*5I could not find any trace of them ever having slept in there - the original text says "no futon had been spread." (see Wikipedia for information about traditional Japanese bedding)

*6And the house too was perhaps.... - he just trails off, without saying anything for definite. Leaving things ambiguous are common occurrences in the realm of Japanese communication.
He probably wanted to say "the house too was perhaps not my real house."

18 comments:

Hello~ Wow....new post...well I actually read your blog for....eh.....2 years maybe...I am really interested in Japanese culture and stories.....I really appreciate your dedication of translating all of these stories....my favorites are Cryptic stories and 4-chan incidents (they sounds so real that it creep me out even though it may be fake....)...Anyway....Keep on pushing and break through the limit!

New post! Woo-hoow! and still only 3 comments., hahaha for this one, it's not quite as disturbing as others, my best theory is that he somehow ended up visiting a graveyard, not his parent's house.

But really, as someone with claustrophobic phobia, i would never had the chance to pack up my things again before dashing off to outside. I would probably get out when i started to feel the eerie feeling hahaha.,

But one thing as question, he mention that he chatted a bit to his 'parents' abt things, from who does this 'parents' know things to be chatted abt? or maybe, why he got the eerie feeling is that because he know his parents are already gone, he visit just to bring memories back, but something lurk in, a devil?

And the second visit was that he visited his parents' old house, but the devil is nowhere near the 'house', so he can't feel it anymore..

Hahahahaha sorry saya san, i got distracted and pull off a little story of my own hahaha., anyway, great story, as usual, saya san! I hope you're having as much fun and curious as big as us while writing the stories.,

oh my, that's weird! so, some kind of evil spirits disguising as his parents and trying to lure him? glad that he is quick to realize it. But that sure is creepy... oh right! Saya-san, you translate stories from 2chan and some forums right? then Japan must have lot of creepy things (/.\)

Welcome back, Saya. It's awesome to be able to read new stuff from you again. Your blog is my absolute fave :)

Maybe the writer entered another world or even Level 1 of hell without realizing it. There is a tumblr post about a patient who was dead for a few mins before doctors managed to revive him. The patient said he went to hell and on Level 1 of hell, everyone seemed normal but they're actually demons in disguise (refer to http://ethereal-visions-press.tumblr.com/post/108336075703/the-levels-of-hell-as-reported-by-a-patient-in). The writer's parents in the strange house could have been such demons.

This story is veerrrry spooky. In a non-horrifying way. Wonder what would happen if he got scared and just continue to sleep in that house. Usually if I got scared I'd just run to my bed and hide under the covers until I fall asleep.

@Limit Seeker: Hello! Yes I think a lot of people like those cryptic stories and 2chan incidents are popular too. I hope I can publish a post on a 2chan incident soon! Thank you for your support! :D

@Hud Hud: Wow my blog is THAT important to you? LOL And you say you've been in a similar situation to this before? That's so scary!

@Petzie: Hellooo! Nice to see you again, dear. I always love to hear how you people interpret the stories, so I'm happy! So you think his parents are already dead? That is a scary theory!

But you say you don't find the story creepy enough? こわくない？That's a disappointment. hahaNext time I'll try to publish something that will make even a brave girl like you tremble from fear! haha

@Han Hyunchan: Thank you thank you! It's good to be back and talking to you again. Yes, Japan is indeed a creepy place! It's a land of horror like no other! haha But if you're a horror fun you should visit the country!

@Boni Nameless: Oh! The story made you shiver? That's what I like to hear! haha I'm happy that you love the stories I translate! Sharing enjoyment is the whole reason I do this blog.

@Kremena Gecheva: Yes, that's exactly why this story is disturbing! You think your home is a safe haven, but it turns out it's not. In fact I've just realised that many stories I publish on my blog happen at people's home.

@hollespiel: A big thank you to you, dear! Knowing someone cares about my blog gives me a big incentive to go on. I followed the link you provided and it was fascinating! When the patient reaches the black abyss it seems like things can't get any worse than that, but he was still at Level 5! I just hope the story is not true...

@Nunu: Hi! I feel exactly the same way. No horrible monsters or ghosts appear in the story but it's very disconcerting. I like subtle horror love this one because it feels more real somehow. Thank you for commenting, dear. Take care! :D

Oh dear I really like the theory about him having been transported to another world. To me the resting place he visited before and after the disturbing stay at his "home" also seems very, very suspicious. Maybe something was wrong with it, it was cursed or acted like one of those elevators that can transport you to hell or another world in some way (though here you're completely unaware until it's too late instead of having to perform a ritual *shivers*) Except when he came back to rest there again, he was brought back to our world. If that's the case then he was really lucky to go back there again, because if he hadn't, he would've been stuck in the so called "demon world" or whatever it was. ;.;

This is one really creepy but touching story, im surprised no one mentioned the real meaning though, she totally neglected her parents during her study.. They died a long time ago without seeing her (at the funeral) and they never found rest because of this and did everything to spend some last time with her. Sends shivers down my spine. Love your blog Say great stories, keep up the great work.

Welcome!

Attention Please!

General Warning

This blog is all about Japanese ghost stories, urban legends and other bizarre and scary things. Don't view any of the articles if you are mentally disturbed, very young or get easily influenced by negative words and images. Only healthy and responsible adults are welcome here.

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All stories posted here have been translated from Japanese into English by me, Saya.

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I usually don't answer the comments posted at older posts. But please be sure I'll read them all.